Good stuff! But may I suggest a tip from aviation best-practice? When possible, bolt heads should face forward. Should a nut ever unwind, the bolt is very unlikely to work its way forwards and then fall out! Likewise, when possible, vertically oriented bolts can’t fall up!
A detail from a wider shot of my engine bay during its annual strip and inspection last winter. All of the suspension bolts pointing aft where possible:
[attachment=0]21414615-4FA2-4559-BC69-4885AF718EFC.jpeg[/attachment]
My 11 build
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zei220
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:48 am
- Location: U.K.
Re: My 11 build
Thank you for the advice, noted and acted upon.
Also fitted the anti-roll bar.
Also fitted the anti-roll bar.
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zei220
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:48 am
- Location: U.K.
Re: My 11 build
A little more progress, pedal box and master cylinders, steering column and lower column fitted. Petrol tank in but not secured.
[attachment=1]pedalbox.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=1]pedalbox.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=1]pedalbox.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=1]pedalbox.jpg[/attachment]
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zei220
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:48 am
- Location: U.K.
Re: My 11 build
Spent the afternoon working on the hubcaps.
[attachment=0]hubcap_rs.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=0]hubcap_rs.jpg[/attachment]
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Westfield 129
- Posts: 867
- Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2011 4:20 am
Re: My 11 build
Drill and tap the anti roll bar mounting blocks for zerk fittings so that you can lubricate the bar.
And... Don't cut the tie rod or the tie rod ends until you are ready to set the tracking, when the entire car is finished, and the ride height has been set (W/driver installed). Note that you need to put your weight in the driver's seat to properly set the tracking (Toe), and the camber. You can't accurately set the front end up without the proper driver's weight in the seat. THEN, you can cut the tie rods and rod ends to set the proper toe in.
Don't forget to center up the steering rack prior to setting up the steering column and steering wheel.
Good progress!
And... Don't cut the tie rod or the tie rod ends until you are ready to set the tracking, when the entire car is finished, and the ride height has been set (W/driver installed). Note that you need to put your weight in the driver's seat to properly set the tracking (Toe), and the camber. You can't accurately set the front end up without the proper driver's weight in the seat. THEN, you can cut the tie rods and rod ends to set the proper toe in.
Don't forget to center up the steering rack prior to setting up the steering column and steering wheel.
Good progress!
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zei220
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:48 am
- Location: U.K.
Re: My 11 build
After a long weekend in Nice, I'm back in the garage fitting the axle.
[attachment=2]axle.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=1]axle2.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=0]axle3.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=2]axle.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=1]axle2.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=0]axle3.jpg[/attachment]
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Splat
- Posts: 461
- Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 5:12 am
Re: My 11 build
Coming along nicely. Whilst you’ve easy access, bolt the handbrake balance lever and bracket to the axle. You’ll find that with the extra axle movement allowed by the Protech shocks, you’ll need to further cut the floor to accommodate it. Much easier at this stage.Also, if you reverse what bolts you can, then the threads will be inside the car, out of the detrimental effects of road crud!
My car uses a tiny, compact gel battery. It’s 12 years old and works great. But if you’re using a bigger one, give thought to mounting it on the LHS. Otherwise you have driver, fuel tank and battery ALL mounted on the one side!
And on the subject of batteries, if you install it immediately behind the fibreglass rear “bulkhead”, you can install a kill switch in the positive feed from the battery, mounted on the bulkhead, between the seats. Both modern red plastic and reproduction “Bakelite” kill switches have removable knobs, so once switched off and the knob removed, the battery is completely isolated. A useful security measure.......
My car uses a tiny, compact gel battery. It’s 12 years old and works great. But if you’re using a bigger one, give thought to mounting it on the LHS. Otherwise you have driver, fuel tank and battery ALL mounted on the one side!
And on the subject of batteries, if you install it immediately behind the fibreglass rear “bulkhead”, you can install a kill switch in the positive feed from the battery, mounted on the bulkhead, between the seats. Both modern red plastic and reproduction “Bakelite” kill switches have removable knobs, so once switched off and the knob removed, the battery is completely isolated. A useful security measure.......
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Westfield 129
- Posts: 867
- Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2011 4:20 am
Re: My 11 build
Splat has this spot on.
You need to flip the bolts around so that the nuts are inside.
Put the battery on the LH side of the rear chassis, but not aft of the axle (you want to keep the weight towards the center of the car). I use one of the Odyssey Battery PC 680 as there are several different mountings available, and it is compact and fits easily between the axle and the bulkhead.
Then, I leave off the wheel housings in the rear so that I don't have a problem with access to the rear brake adjusters, suspension arm and damper bolts, and the battery when I service the car. Sure, it will get dirty back there, but that's what a pressure washer is for.
Mark and cut the hole for the differential housing to drop through, and don't forget to cut a hole for the swing tree mount as well. The axle is going to drop a bit farther with the longer Protech dampers. I marked the area that I wanted to cut out, punched a couple of holes with the drill and used a power nibbler to finish the cut. I was too lazy to take the axle back out of the car, but it is always something to consider. I did the cut from underneath with the axle pushed up without the coil overs installed to make room.
With the extra damper length, you will have to be careful in centering the rear axle with the Panhard rod once the ride height is set, and the car is on the ground with the driver in the seat. This will be one of the last things you will do. However, prior to that, use your jack to cycle the axle up and down to make sure that the suspension arms fasteners clear the frame at full droop. You may need to shorten the bolt heads on one side for clearance.
This is a good time to install the hand brake lever if it isn't already in place. This one will need the nuts from the middle into the interior.
And, you can thread the steering column mount so that you can just bolt in the column, rather than fiddling with nuts.
If you install the kill switch and use an alternator, you will need a kill switch specifically for an alternator application.
You need to flip the bolts around so that the nuts are inside.
Put the battery on the LH side of the rear chassis, but not aft of the axle (you want to keep the weight towards the center of the car). I use one of the Odyssey Battery PC 680 as there are several different mountings available, and it is compact and fits easily between the axle and the bulkhead.
Then, I leave off the wheel housings in the rear so that I don't have a problem with access to the rear brake adjusters, suspension arm and damper bolts, and the battery when I service the car. Sure, it will get dirty back there, but that's what a pressure washer is for.
Mark and cut the hole for the differential housing to drop through, and don't forget to cut a hole for the swing tree mount as well. The axle is going to drop a bit farther with the longer Protech dampers. I marked the area that I wanted to cut out, punched a couple of holes with the drill and used a power nibbler to finish the cut. I was too lazy to take the axle back out of the car, but it is always something to consider. I did the cut from underneath with the axle pushed up without the coil overs installed to make room.
With the extra damper length, you will have to be careful in centering the rear axle with the Panhard rod once the ride height is set, and the car is on the ground with the driver in the seat. This will be one of the last things you will do. However, prior to that, use your jack to cycle the axle up and down to make sure that the suspension arms fasteners clear the frame at full droop. You may need to shorten the bolt heads on one side for clearance.
This is a good time to install the hand brake lever if it isn't already in place. This one will need the nuts from the middle into the interior.
And, you can thread the steering column mount so that you can just bolt in the column, rather than fiddling with nuts.
If you install the kill switch and use an alternator, you will need a kill switch specifically for an alternator application.
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zei220
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:48 am
- Location: U.K.
Re: My 11 build
Thank you both for your comments.
I did cut the floor to allow the axle to drop through, I also reduced the heads on the bolts which locate the bottom trailing arms. There isn't a great deal of clearance in that area.
I like the idea of mounting the battery on the left hand side to help with weight distribution.
I have used the axle from the later cars which doesn't use the swing tree for the handbrake.
And first job on Sundays list is to turn the bolts which can be turned.
Thanks again.
I did cut the floor to allow the axle to drop through, I also reduced the heads on the bolts which locate the bottom trailing arms. There isn't a great deal of clearance in that area.
I like the idea of mounting the battery on the left hand side to help with weight distribution.
I have used the axle from the later cars which doesn't use the swing tree for the handbrake.
And first job on Sundays list is to turn the bolts which can be turned.
Thanks again.
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Splat
- Posts: 461
- Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 5:12 am
Re: My 11 build
Well, there you go! I wasn’t even aware of the change to the handbrake mechanism. So I logged onto the Moss website to look at the expanded parts diagrams. Lo and behold, late 1500 cars only! Yup, you have to file down the heads of the bolts to clear the lower chassis rails, and it looks as tight as hell. But I can confirm that after several thousand miles of hard driving on both track and our appalling, pot-holed roads, there’s been no contact yet.
Have a look at gel batteries. They’re not cheap, but mine’s twelve years old and is in perfect nick (why did I just write that?!). They’re tiny and can be mounted on their side. This allows you to fabricate a shallow tray to sit the battery in, with an ally strap bolted over the battery to secure it. The terminals are then on the “side”, unobstructed by the strap.
Ps; please don’t think that anybody here is interfering! Jan (Westfield126) has built several cars for American owners and most of the more popular mods are actually his (the “long” shocks for one). My car was built for the original owner (not me!) by a chap called Jim Bickley. He was the guy the factory sent you to for a turn-key car before they were allowed to produce them themselves. Mine was the fifth of the five that his race-shop built for customers, and even then I felt that there was huge scope to tidy and improve. It’s taken me about eight years to build a car whose details I’m happy with!
Have a look at gel batteries. They’re not cheap, but mine’s twelve years old and is in perfect nick (why did I just write that?!). They’re tiny and can be mounted on their side. This allows you to fabricate a shallow tray to sit the battery in, with an ally strap bolted over the battery to secure it. The terminals are then on the “side”, unobstructed by the strap.
Ps; please don’t think that anybody here is interfering! Jan (Westfield126) has built several cars for American owners and most of the more popular mods are actually his (the “long” shocks for one). My car was built for the original owner (not me!) by a chap called Jim Bickley. He was the guy the factory sent you to for a turn-key car before they were allowed to produce them themselves. Mine was the fifth of the five that his race-shop built for customers, and even then I felt that there was huge scope to tidy and improve. It’s taken me about eight years to build a car whose details I’m happy with!